Thursday, September 20, 2007

Two weeks ago, [Bob] Corker said, he approached [Jim] Webb to tell him that he was seriously considering a vote for his measure [that would have lengthened the home leave of troops deployed in Iraq]. Yesterday, Corker said, the Pentagon had made its case. "I like Jim Webb. I know he has a lot of firsthand experience," Corker said. "But I don't think you can do this in the middle of a conflict."

Take note of that last sentence.

If we are in the "middle" of the Iraq War at approximately 4 and 1/2 years after the beginning, then the end will not come until at least 2012. That's the brightest scenario. If "middle" is not determined by single years but by blocks of multiple years and we are at the beginning of the middle block of the Iraq War, then the end gets projected out to 2017 and beyond.

I guess that Bob Corker is willing to accept personal responsibility for the long-term social costs to our military families and to our larger society by George Bush's relentless, drawn-out, and indefinite deployment of troops in Iraq.

2 comments:

Everyone should write our Senators and tell them how profoundly disappointed and embarrassed we are in their votes against the Webb amendment. If either had ever served in the military or had members of their immediate family serving in a combat zone, they might more personally understand the trauma and the need for rest and recuperation.

Their votes were a grave injustice to the brave men and women serving our country, their families and especially their children.